Manchester United will have the opportunity to reinforce their backline in January, and a new left-back is likely to be at the top of their wish list. The Red Devils were expected to bolster the position during the summer, with Luke Shaw entering the final year of his contract.
The English giants spent over £150 million on the midfield and strengthened their goalkeeping department by signing Karl Darlow on a free transfer. United were also linked with several left-backs, including Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall, Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri and Bournemouth speedster Adrien Truffert.
While INEOS have shown a preference for Premier League-proven candidates in the transfer window in recent times, they were also linked with players from abroad. Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde and RB Leipzig skipper David Raum were also mentioned as options, but United ended up signing none of them.
That decision would soon come back to haunt the Red Devils.
Shaw has struggled this season
While Shaw was excellent last season, he is already on the wrong side of 30 and has displayed signs of regression this campaign. United have been left to rue the decision not to invest in the Englishman’s successor, with the player missing six of the 11 games across all competitions this season.
Recent reports suggest that the Old Trafford hierarchy acknowledge that they were wrong not to bolster the left-back position this summer. The Red Devils are now 13th in the Premier League table after seven games, with just one win to their name.
Overall, Michael Carrick’s team have lost five of their 11 games across all competitions this season and are already out of the EFL Cup. While the situation has put tremendous pressure on Carrick, it has also highlighted the need for squad reinforcements in January.
United did attempt a late move for Ait-Nouri in the summer, but it broke down as City had no desire to allow him to move to Old Trafford. However, with the Algerian struggling for game time under Enzo Maresca so far, it now appears that the Red Devils are ready to lure him away from the Etihad at the turn of the year.
Rayan Ait-Nouri Stats: 2026/27 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League | 2 | 0 | - | 1 | - | - | 33' |
| EFL Cup | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | 90' |
| Premier League | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Community Shield | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 3 | 1 | - | 3 | - | - | 123' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
United ready to return for Ait-Nouri
According to Africa Foot, United are ready to return for Ait-Nouri in January. The report states: “According to exclusive information obtained by Africafoot, Manchester United are exploring the possibility of signing Algerian international Rayan Aït-Nouri during the upcoming winter transfer window.”
“Having struggled since the start of the season, the Red Devils are keen to strengthen their squad and are considering bringing in the Manchester City left-back on loan.”
The report also states that the Algerian is eager to secure more playing time, adding: “According to exclusive information obtained by Africafoot, the possibility of a loan move remains to be seen as the winter transfer window approaches.”
“The coming weeks could prove decisive for the future of Aït-Nouri, who is seeking more playing time, whilst Manchester United intend to use the January transfer window to address the shortcomings identified since the start of the season.”
Final Thoughts
While Ait-Nouri has struggled for game time this season, City could still be reluctant to let him go in the middle of the campaign. The Algerian could certainly improve United, but INEOS must keep their options open in case their bitter rivals refuse to budge from their previous stance.
The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment
Overall credibility: 5/10
Why?
✅ United have been long-term admirers of Rayan Ait-Nouri.
⚠️ City could be reluctant to let a player join their direct rivals in January.
TPP view
We believe reports suggesting United are planning to return for Ait-Nouri in January may be far-fetched.
Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images
